Quick Shoei Neotec Borealis Review

[Fred W]

Thanks Chuck, I will. Already put the shampoo on the inside of the face shield, so it'll be a belt and suspenders approach. Hopefully between the two it will work out well, because I really like everything else about this helmet.

Also, forgot to add in my previous post that I am not a fan of the ratchet buckles that come on some helmet brands and prefer the double D rings. I have the ratchet dealio on one of my AFX dual sport helmets and it always seems to get hung up on the collar of my jacket. Double D's no such problems. YMMV

 

[Tanker]

Fred,
My Neotech is about 2 years old now and I've used it hard! I use the pinlock insert in rain and after dark and while it does alter the amount of light passing through I haven't found it to be dangerous or objectionable. You will note a slight prism halo affect in oncoming headlights but nothing too dramatic. Try it and see if it helps. In fact I generally install the pinlock insert once it starts dropping to cold enough temps for fogging to be an issue and let it in until the weather stays warm again in Spring.

I'm in the same camp as Chuck concerning the use of the Pinlock. I use it all the time, night and day with nothing dangerous or objectionable.

I'm OK with D-Rings or the ratchet straps, as I use them both in various helmets I have.

 

[Niehart]

Fred,
My Neotech is about 2 years old now and I've used it hard! I use the pinlock insert in rain and after dark and while it does alter the amount of light passing through I haven't found it to be dangerous or objectionable. You will note a slight prism halo affect in oncoming headlights but nothing too dramatic. Try it and see if it helps. In fact I generally install the pinlock insert once it starts dropping to cold enough temps for fogging to be an issue and let it in until the weather stays warm again in Spring.

+1

 

[Burnspot]

Adding my $.02 concerning the Neotec and Pinlock. The Pinlock is always in my Neotec and I've used it in all sorts of weather day and night...there's a bit of halo-ing at night, but it's nothing seriously distracting or bad enough to cause me to remove it. I have had some issues getting a perfect seal on the Pinlock (it's hard for my eyes to discern the pin cam's shape during adjustments) and usually have a 1/4" along the bottom that slightly fogs in cold/wet weather.

D-rings are super easy to use and fast; not a problem for me. To date, the Neotec remains the best helmet I've ever owned. Perhaps my only complaint, and it's a niche one, is that it's not an entirely easy helmet to slip a 90 degree hydration bite valve into from the bottom when bearded.

 

[Fred W]

Thanks to all for your responses and encouragement on the Pin Lock. I had been hesitant to install it due to the nanny warnings, but have done that now (a tad hard to get it in without getting finger prints on it, eh?) and will test it out fully on a little Bronze Butt ride I'm planning for this upcoming weekend It'll be a long two days of riding up to the north eastern corner of the US, but not quite hard enough to be "iron"..

Hopefully I won't be testing it in the rain...

I promise to follow up either way.

 

[eflyguy]

I also have had my pinlock installed since new, three years now. Only removed it for a thorough cleaning a couple of times. Never had anything get between the pinlock and shield. Never noticed any problems at night, either.

The ONLY issue I've had is that the first-position detent no longer holds the shield at highway speeds. If I lost it, I'd get another..

 

[Bill Lumberg]

Pinloc doesn't interfere with anything, day or night, for me. I don't even bother taking them out in the summer any more. Back when my bike ran, I rode in the dark almost daily year round.

 

[SacramentoMike]

I also have had my pinlock installed since new, three years now. Only removed it for a thorough cleaning a couple of times. Never had anything get between the pinlock and shield. Never noticed any problems at night, either.
The ONLY issue I've had is that the first-position detent no longer holds the shield at highway speeds. If I lost it, I'd get another..

Same opinion about Pinloc's CYA safety warning, It's in, and it stays in.

It's bugged me for a long time, how the face shield blows closed when I want it just a little open. So I went into the hardware store looking for a solution and spent about 79 cents on a little sliding window stopper that I can clip onto the bottom of the shield with a thumbscrew to prevent it shutting. Does no damage, easy to take off and on, does what I want it to do. Hope this is a big enough picture.

 

[Fred W]

Funny... I came up with this same idea yesterday and was looking around the house for something the right size and thickness to hold it open a crack, when needed.

Do you screw your doo-dad on the shield or the helmet, Mike? I'd considered both ways and find the least obtrusive.

For now I;m going to see if I can live with the shield fully closed all the time while using the pin-lock, as that is clearly how Shoei intends the helmet to be used, regardless of their CYA warning stickers.

 

[Iris]

Fred,

I have always had Arai helmets which had that 1/8 - 1/4 space you describe.

I was a little annoyed at first about the Neotec when I first got it (with regards to this), but I put the pin lock in, and have never had a problem with fogging.

This is the best, nicest helmet I have ever had (above the Arai).

The venting is so ample, it's almost too cold even in the summer.

Just sharing my experience, but I would def try the pin lock before trying anything else.

 

[SacramentoMike]

Funny... I came up with this same idea yesterday and was looking around the house for something the right size and thickness to hold it open a crack, when needed.
Do you screw your doo-dad on the shield or the helmet, Mike? I'd considered both ways and find the least obtrusive.

I have it over in the corner of the shield, Fred. The thumbscrew faces out--don't know if it would even fit inside, but out is the easy way to grab and turn if I want to. It only touches the shield, not the Pinloc, BTW. How far open it keeps the shield depends where you place it,. Trial and error--a guy your age knows about trial and error, right?

 

[Fred W]

Heh, yeah. We (hopefully) learn from our mistakes, but we all do make a bunch of 'em over a lifetime.

 

[bigjohnsd]

I like my NEOTEC, but.......the damn thing just doesn't fit my head quite like the Shoei Quest I have.

It puts pressure right on the front of my Bald Head.

I tried going from an XLG Pad to an XXLG Pad but I still get the pressure although the Forehead Waffle Effect created by the Pad is less with the thinner XXLG pad in place.

I am reluctant to "Massage the Styrofoam" but it may come to that.

As I previously posted I had some trouble with Bees coming in through the generously sized top front vents. I corrected that problem with the installation of stainless steel hash pipe screens and have not had any further issues.

I don't find the NEOTEC to be particularly quiet, hence I ride with earplugs/EarBuds 99.9% of the time.

Not sure I'd buy another NEOTEC were this one to be damaged or stolen because of the head shape pressure point issue which was not apparent wearing it around RealTime Industries for 30 minutes before i purchased it last year.

 

[Fred W]

John,

You must be a "Long Oval" head shape. The Neotech and the GT Air I tried on were good fits for my (apparently) medium oval squash.

I'll admit that I did the knuckle massage to the EPS liner of my last helmet, a Scorpion EXO-900, which was perhaps more of a round oval shape because I got the same problem that you cite. In that case it wasn't really an overall problem with the shape as just some hot spots on the front crown that were relieved with some finger pressure into the EPS.

The amount that you need to compress it is miniscule to get relief, compared to the total thickness, IMO. Of course it is your head, your helmet, and your safety so you shopuld do what you feel comfortable with (double entendre intended)

PS - Interesting way to recycle your old hash pipe screens. Not that I have any idea what you are talking about or what one of those is. However, for some reason none of my parents' faucets flowed smoothly when I lived there. Not entirely sure if that is related?

 

[FJReady]

I was hopeful the Neotec would fit me because the Shoei RF1200 fits so well. But, like John, my forehead is too cramped in there. I wasn't willing to try the Styrofoam remodel since I figured there isn't much in the forehead area due to the real estate occupied by the flip down visor.

I'll probably revisit the Neotec or whatever the Shoei modular offering is in 3-4 years when my RF1200 is ready for the back shelf in the garage.

 

[bigjohnsd]

I'm leaning towards the Knuckle Massage for the ride to the Reuben Run next week.

 

[Fred W]

I was hopeful the Neotec would fit me because the Shoei RF1200 fits so well. But, like John, my forehead is too cramped in there. I wasn't willing to try the Styrofoam remodel since I figured there isn't much in the forehead area due to the real estate occupied by the flip down visor.
I'll probably revisit the Neotec or whatever the Shoei modular offering is in 3-4 years when my RF1200 is ready for the back shelf in the garage.

What's odd about that, Russ, is that you were able to get the neon Scorpion EXO-600 (I think it was) to work for you with some knuckling, and I was not, and gave up on it. Of course it was a far less expensive lid, so I understand the hesitation to mess around with the higher bux Shoei.

From a safety standpoint, I see the full face as being much superior. But the convenience of a modular is just too much incentive for me to be a bit lax. Once you've had one, you are spoiled for life.

At least we are wearing helmets and not riding with our thinning hair flowing in the wind, like most of the wayhoos up here in NH.

 

[SacramentoMike]

A $600 helmet that hurts to wear isn't much use to me. Luckily, my head fits my Neotec pretty well, and vise-versa, but I too got headaches from a Scorpion modular a while back--don't recall the model. So I massaged it, too. But not with a knuckle. I used a ball-peen hammer. Didn't take much, and helped a LOT. I guess if I'd happened to fall directly on the thinned-down square inch (or less) that I'd worked on, it would have been a couple percent less protective. But a hell of a lot MORE protective than if I'd taken the damn thing off and ridden bare-headed. Why would you not?

 

[Fred W]

Heh... the same thought occurred to me, Mike.

It's sort of like buying a Corbin "custom" seat and then modifying it to be more comfortable, eh?

 

[xcsp]

Purchased a lightly-used Neotec from a forum member and no regrets, use the helmet on every ride.

1st modular lid I've had and like the features of the flip-up front, inner sunshield-great when you go to work in the dark and come home while it's still daylight and no need to swap shields or use sunglasses.

Pinlock has worked great-no fogging! Leave it in & go.

Using the chin curtain in cooler weather helps a lot to keep it warm.

Talk of the d-rings, doesn't Shoei offer the Neotec with the quick strap? Seen them available on eBay.